Footage of strike in Hodeidah
The IDF reported early Tuesday morning that the Israeli Air Force (IAF) intercepted a UAV over the Mediterranean Sea, dozens of kilometers west of Israel's coast in the central part of the country. On Tuesday, Yemen’s Houthis said they had launched a total of five drones overnight, four toward Eilat and another toward a "military target in Jaffa."
In the Houthis' statement, they claimed to have attacked an "Israeli military target in Jaffa (Tel Aviv area)" using a 'Jaffa' drone model. They also claimed to have aimed at "military targets in Eilat using four 'Samad 4' model drones."
The Houthis' drone launches toward Israeli territory took place just over a day after another extensive Israeli strike in Yemen, approximately 1,800 km (1,118 mi) from Israel.
The IDF Spokespersons Unit reported the strike was a large-scale operation involving dozens of aircraft, including fighter jets, refueling planes and intelligence aircraft which, under the guidance of the IDF Military Intelligence Directorate, attacked military targets used by the Houthis. Power stations and a seaport used for importing oil were targeted in the attack.
Further, the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit reported the Houthis transferred Iranian weapons to the area as well as supplies for military needs and oil using the targeted infrastructure and ports. "The strike was carried out in response to the recent attacks launched by the Houthi regime against Israel," the IDF said in a statement.
In response to the strikes, the Houthis began issuing threats against Israel, while also attempting to downplay the strike’s outcomes. "The Israeli strikes on Hodeidah port and the power station won’t cause Yemen to stop its military operations," a source told the Lebanese network Al-Mayadeen.
"Attacks on civilian targets will be met with attacks on civilian targets and the enemy should be aware of this. Yemen's bank of targets deep inside Israel is large and strategic,” the terror group added.